Directions: For a quick meal, mix all ingredients in a quart-sized Ziploc bag. Add chicken or pork and reduce beans if desired. Tightly seal and freeze. Stick the bag in the refrigerator about 12-24 hours before it's ready to cook. Once the food is defrosted, pour the ingredients into a saucepan and place it on the stove on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese and serve with tortilla chips.

Source: Dan Sorrells, owner of The Organic Dish

F reezer foods often get a bad rep but Dan Sorrells, owner of The Organic Dish in Boulder, said freezer-friendly meals are a fast and easy way for busy bodies to eat healthy.

The Organic Dish uses only the best ingredients in its meals, which range from macaroni and cheese to vegan stews and slow-cooked jambalaya, but Sorrells said freezer meals are conducive to all tastes and budgets.

Fresh does not always mean quality ingredients, Sorrells said, so don't be afraid to include canned foods or frozen veggies to your prepared meals, just check for unwanted additives on the label.

With one to two hours of chopping and portioning, even a novice cook can prepare a week's worth of ready-to-cook dinners, he said.

Lentils freeze well and cook quickly, making them one of the faster and more popular freezer meals offered at The Organic Dish, Sorrells said. Add some broth, coconut milk, spinach, onions and salt and pepper and toss it in the freezer. Once it's thawed the dish will cook in about 15 minutes and tastes delicious on a bed of rice, he said.

Use quart-sized Ziploc bags -- make sure to get out as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn -- to combine the ingredients for a stir fry, premix your soup or knock out some easy sides that will require little effort when it's time to cook.